He sentenced Victor A. Gonzales to between 23 and 90 years in prison for the nighttime attack, noting the victim was stabbed in the thigh, arm and wrist.

“If she had not had enough forethought to lock the car and lock you out, I’m convinced that you probably would have killed her,’’ Trusock said. “Sir, I hope every day you think about what you did to this poor lady.’’

Walker police identified Gonzales, 21, as a suspect in the March 9 carjacking and stabbing outside the Meijer store at 2425 Alpine Avenue NW. Grand Rapids police caught up with him two days later. He was shot during a struggle with police behind a building on Bridge Street west of Seward Avenue NW.

Gonzales told the court he now has empathy for his victim.

“I don’t ask for mercy, I just ask for understanding,’’ he said. “I lost a child, I lost my family, and now I’m losing my freedom and I almost lost my life because of what I did. I never knew empathy until this day because everything that woman was going through, I’m going through.’’

Gonzales pleaded guilty earlier this month to carjacking, assault with intent to commit great bodily harm less than murder, felonious assault and being a habitual felony offender.

He was paroled last November after serving time for attacking a man who refused to buy him alcohol, court records show. He had been living most recently on Fourth Street NW, not far from where he was shot.